Expansion-bearing for bridges



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. s. MORISON. EXPANSIN BEARING FOR BRIDGE-S.'

No. 484,971. A Patented ont. 2 5, 1892.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. S. MORISON. EXPANSION BEARING FORBRIDGES.

Patented ont. 25, 1892.

WW1/womb (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3'.

G; s. MoRsoN.. EXPANSION BEARING FOR BRIDGES.

No. 484,971. Patented 001;. 25, 1892.

UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. MORISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXPANSION-BEARING FOR BRIDGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,971, dated October25, 1892.

Application tiled May 21, 1892.

To all whom it may concern/.j

y Be it known that I, GEORGE S. MoRIsoN, of Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented a new Expansion Bearing, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct an expansion-bearingapplicable to bridge superstructures, in which the rollers can be madeof large size, so that they will roll with a minimum amount offriction,in which provision is made for a uniform distribution of weighton the rollers in spite of any irregularity in the level of the bed orany disturbance from the deiection of the superstructure, and in whichthe base is stiff and not liable to get cloggedjwithzdirt.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis an elevation of the bearing,looking toward the ends of the rollers. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevationof the same, on'a vertical plan, passed transversely through the centerof rockerplate. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a portion of thebase-plate. Fig. 4 is an end View of one of the rollers detached. Fig. 5is a partial side View of the same. Fig. 6 is a plan view of therocker-plate. Figs. 7 and 8 are edge viewsof thesame,looking indirections at right angles with each other. Fig. 9 is a plan view of thebearing-plate below the rocker-plate. Fig. lO is a modification, showingthe rockerplate interposed between an upper and lower bearing-platewithout the employment of any separate base-plate or rollers.

The base-plate is formed of a series of T- rails a, riveted to a plate bbelow and subsequently planed on their upper surfaces. A base-plate soconstructed will be stiff vertically and will keep itself clean. -Dustinstead of collecting on the upper surface will drop through the spacesc cbetween the rails, and a brush can easily be worked from below whenit becomes necessary. d d are the rollers, one of which is shown indetail in Figs. 4 and 5. When placed in position, as shown in Fig. 1,they lie transversely of the rails and their respective verticaldiameters are greater than the horizontal distance between their Theycenters. are therefore of necessity segmental rollers, or rollers withthe sides cut 0E, as shown in Fig. a. Their sides are parallel SerialNo. 433,861. (No model.)

planes, and when the series of rollers is in position, as shown in Fig.1, they are separated by so short a distance that the plane sides ofadjacent rollers will come in contact before the rollers will tip over.Each roller is hollowed out on both sides, as shown at d d2, Fig. 4,making a Space through which a brush can be worked for cleaning,if it bedesired.

e c and ff are end plates which hold the rollers in their true relativeposition. All of the rollers are journaled at one end to the plate e bythe journals g g, dto., and at the other end to the plate e by thejournals g', &c. All of the rollers are likewise journaled to the platef by the journals h h, doc., and to the plate f by the journals L, &c.Each of the plates f and f is provided at each end with a downwardprojection 7l, that overlaps the end of the plate e or e beneath,leavinga space between, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to admit of thelimited motion of the rollers in either direction. On top of the seriesof rollers rests the plate j, having a flat lower surface. From the topof this plate rises a column 7o, braced laterally by the ribs Z Z, te. Y

The upper surface of the column 71; forms the lower bearing for arocker-plate m of peculiar construction. (Shown in detail in Figs. 6, 7,and 8.) On top of the rocker-plate rests a column n, that extendsdownward from a plate 0, adapted to carry the weight of the bridgeoverhead. The column n is braced laterally by the ribs 19.

The rocker-plate m is peculiar. Ithas two cylindrical surfaces, theupper and the lower, at right angles to each other. One of these tits ina cylindrical surface on top of the column or bearing 7c and the othertits in a cylindrical surface on the bottom of the column or bearing n.The concave cylindrical surface is in each case bounded by a verticalbearing-surface at each end, as shown at q q, Fig. 9, so that the upperbearing can rock in both directions, while it is held from movinghorizontally by the fact that the rocker-plate is held in one directionby the cylindrical surface and in the lother by the vertical bearings atthe ends of the cylindrical surface. The rocker-plate serves not only todistribute the weight equally over the whole nest roo of rollers, but todistribute it equally over the length of each roller.

I claiml. In an expansion-bearing, in combination, a base-plate, aseries of rollers resting thereon, two bearings surmounted upon saidseries of rollers, and a rocker-plate interposed between said bearings,substantially asdescribed;

2. In an expansion-bearing, in combination, a base-plate, a series ofrollers resting thereon, two bearings surmounted upon said series ofrollers, and a rocker-plate interposed between said bearings, saidrocker-plate being provided with cylindrical upper and lowerbearing-surfaces, respectively, at right angles with each other,substantially as described.

3. In an eXpansion-bearing,in combination, a base-plate composed of aseries of parallel T-rails secured together, a series of segmentalrollers resting transversely upon said rails in such position that theirvertical diameters exceed the horizontal distance between their centers,and a bearing-plate resting upon said rollers, substantially asdescribed.

4:. In an expansion-bearing, in combination, a base-plate, a seriesofrollers resting thereon, two parallel or approximatelyparallel platesjournaled to the ends of said rollers on opposite sides of the centersthereof, and a bearing-plate resting;1 on the tops of said rollers,substantially as described.

5. In an expansion-bearing, in combination, a base-plate, a series ofrollers resting thereon, two parallel or approximately-parallel platesjournaled to the ends of said rollers on opposite sides of the centersthereof, and a bearing-plate resting onfthe tops of said rollers, one ofsaid end plates being provided with a projection overlapping the other,substantially as described.

6. In combination, two bearings and a rocker interposed between thesame, said rocker being provided on opposite sides with cylindricalbearing-surfaces, respectively, at substantially right angles with eachother, as set forth.

7. In an expansion-bearing, incombination with the rollers thereof, twoplates, oneprovided with a projection overlapping the other, andconnections between saidplates and'rollers, whereby the movement of therollers causes the plates to move with respect to each other,substantially as described.

GEO. S. MORISON.

XVitnesses:

E. GERBER, II. E. JORDAN.

